Until recently, those in search of their first smartphone faced only a couple of options, and none of them were particularly thrilling. They could either opt to carry on using a flip phone or feature phone, devoid of critical features such as a web browser, access to a thriving app store, and turn-by-turn navigation. Or, they could turn to an antiquated and feature-stripped “smartphone,” many of which tested the very definition of the term. The third option — out of reach for many — was to cobble together well over $500 for a top-tier, premium smartphone.

Thankfully, we no longer live in a world where you’re forced to either stretch your budget or continue to live without one of the world’s most transformative technologies.

Earlier this year, Moto E was revealed to a global audience. It was a project many years in the making, and according to an interview I conducted with VP of Product Marketing Steve Sinclair, it was a phone that was built very deliberately. At $129 with no subsidization (nor strings attached), Moto E is amongst the most affordable smartphones on the planet. But the true allure of the E goes beyond the price — it’s the unprecedented performance at its price that makes it special.

In speaking with a number of engineers, designers, and executives within Motorola’s walls, I learned that the price tag was meaningful on a number of levels. After leaving Apple to join Motorola, Sinclair told me that he “wanted to build high quality products that more people could afford.” Echoing my own sentiments, he continued: “Bringing high quality smartphones to the masses is something that we as an industry should’ve been focusing on.”

I’ve witnessed entire swaths of society transformed by gaining access to broadband Internet for the first time, and in a similar vein, the price point of the Moto E stands to enable the next billion to get connected on a device that punches above its weight.

Sinclair stated that Moto’s decision to build the E was based heavily around research. “We knew the market was going in this direction,” said Sinclair, “as people were migrating from feature phones.” In studying what customers at all levels were interested in, Moto’s team found that display quality were high atop the list. The challenge, of course, was to include these features on a phone that wasn’t just affordable, but enjoyable to use.

Perhaps the most critical differentiator for the Moto E is the power that it possesses. For years, sub-$200 phones were built with old internals and substandard materials. In a nutshell, they paled in comparison to high-end flagships, and left a sour taste in the mouths of many buyers. Too many corners were cut to achieve a rock bottom price, and the user experience suffered mightily. Motorola’s team wanted to make sure such a scenario wouldn’t unfold with the E.

In his own words: “I was first inspired by the Moto X's boot animation, which sort of places the Motorola logo as the earth. I also figured ‘Celebrate your summer with Motorola’ would be a good tagline to have in mind while conceptualizing the design. With that in mind, the idea of Motorola's products and innovation surrounding you throughout daily outdoor activities prompted me to allude it to the sun, since it is an overbearing symbol of summer that encompasses everything we do.”

After 1300 submissions, the people have spoken!

Putting you in the design seat, the Moto 360 Design Face-Off competition invited consumers, designers and developers alike to dream up their own unique face for our new watch, Moto 360. 

Ten finalists were selected by an experienced judging panel, who combed through every single entry to find the best-of-the-best, taking design aesthetic, originality and feasibility into consideration. Our panel was impressed by how beautiful, intricate and original all 1300 designs were.

Congratulations to our top 10 finalists: Tyler Allicock, Jose Azua, Layton Diament, Pawel Hanusowski, Dave McCarthy, Aramis Negron, David Pascual, Will Rodriguez, Paul Stringer, and Jason Wang.

From the top 10, we put the fate of the design in your hands, and as determined by the most +1’s, we are excited to announce David Pascual as the winner of the Moto 360 Design Face-Off! 

He wins one of the very first Moto 360s and the chance for his design to be featured on the watch. 

Well done, David, and thank you to each one of the participants - you inspired us with your creativity, insights and zeal.

For other Moto 360 designs, visit the G+ community. To learn more about Moto 360, sign-up for updates.

Posted by Motorola